Wednesday, February 16, 2011

"The One and Only": A Divine Love Poem

Two poems from my Emily Dickinson drawer, saved by Kathleen, written from the heart, speak of our passionate love for God....and God's passionate love for us....

The One and Only

God does not overpower, like a seducer.
God empowers, like a friend,
coming in the dark times, opening our eyes,
listening, whispering, nudging us along.

How fearful and suspicious I was
when first God knocked,
and said, "There is no need to fear.
I'm always here."

How my heart trembled when I finally dared admit,
"Perhaps there's something to this voice
crying out in the wilderness of my heart,
perhaps there really is something at the heart of things
that can be trusted...."

Like snow melting, cascading down a mountainside,
tears pour from my eyes, my heart opened
--a seedling cracking,
unfolding, thrusting out of earth, seeking the light.....

Like a teenager discovering love,
finding in every flower and every spring breeze
a token and reminder of something unknown, unnamable,
I ached with new and mysterious desire
for you, the light of my being.

Like a gardener, you patiently watched,
waiting until the moment
when the question rose naturally
from my heart's dark and wormy depths,
"Can I be yours?"

Your loving "Yes" filled my whole being
as spring fills each pore with ineffable scents,
with the kiss of life, your Yes sustains me
when the world grows cold with the No's of the knowing...

From that moment of your coming
I vowed to honor, serve, and listen....
but only you know how often I broke this vow
betraying you and my own better self
to false idols and dreams
yet you never lose faith, you remain true
eternal friend, lover, counselor, spouse
everlasting Lord of Life,
you never issue orders, never overpower;
instead, you lift up and affirm
despite my own and the world's putdowns:
"Do what you will,
my loving friend,
your heart and will are good.
I know. I made you,
I chose you,
I led you out of darkness."

So now I tremble not with fear,
the way a suitor fears to be rejected,
the way a philanderer fears to lose control.
Instead, I tremble like a blade of grass
swaying with my brothers and sisters
in the wind and rain
that nourishes our roots,
and makes us strong,
and gives us what we need to grow.

The Peaceable Kingdom

In the Tree of Life
every part is crucial:
the roots draw nourishment from earth,
the leaves draw energy from light,
the trunk gives strength,
the flowers and seed give hope of things to be.
Here is no hierarchy,
no "center of authority":
eternal life flows in and through
each portion of self-renewing tree.

Whenever two or more are gathered
under the wings of Eternity,
the Tree empowers
branch and root,
trunk and fruit,
till in our heart's depths we cry:

About Anthony Manousos

I am a Quaker peace activist, teacher and author, my most recent book being "Transformative Quakers" and "Howard and Anna Brinton: Reinventors of Quakerism in the 20th century." I serve on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Friends World Committee for Consultation and Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace. I love biking, hiking in the mountains, going to museums and art galleries, Classical music, jazz, and being with friends. For twelve years I edited a Quaker magazine called "Friends Bulletin" (now called "The Western Friend") and edited four books and wrote several pamphlets for Quakers. I have taught at numerous colleges and universities, including Carleton College, Rutgers, Pepperdine, UC San Bernardino, San Bernardino Valley College, etc. I am a certified spiritual director through a spiritual direction program called "Stilpoint." I reside in Pasadena with wife Jill Shook, who has published a book on affordable housing (makinghousinghappen.com). We have a lovely garden, citrus and fig trees, a grape arbor, cats named Miss Rosie and Dr. Pepper, and three Arucana chickens.